51吃瓜 of the Day
gusto
noun
hearty or keen enjoyment, as in eating or drinking, or in action or speech in general: to dance with gusto.
More about gusto
Gusto comes from the Italian noun gusto 鈥渢aste, flavor,鈥� from Latin gustus 鈥渢asting, flavor, sense of taste.鈥� Gustus is also the source of Spanish and Portuguese gosto and French 驳辞没迟, all meaning 鈥渢aste, flavor, relish.鈥� The main current sense of gusto, 鈥渒een enjoyment,鈥� first appeared in 1629 but only started to become very common in the early 19th century.
how is gusto used?
She ate with gusto, sending particles of egg flying onto the table as she spoke.
Anna could hear her father singing with gusto.
usageaster
noun
a self-styled authority on language usage.
More about usageaster
A true expert on language usage will know that using usageaster 鈥渁 self-styled authority on language usage鈥� is not meant kindly. For instance: 鈥淭he reader was no more than a usageaster; he insisted on corrections that were merely a matter of style, not grammar.鈥� Usageaster is composed of usage and the -aster, which is a 鈥渄iminutive or pejorative suffix denoting something that imperfectly resembles or mimics the true thing.鈥� This suffix, derived from Latin, can also be found in such words as poetaster 鈥渁n inferior poet鈥� and criticaster 鈥渋ncompetent critic.鈥�
how is usageaster used?
We can help such people overcome their insecurity by making a clear distinction between聽usageasters聽and usage experts.
… a usageaster pretends to know about questions of usage in language.
avocation
noun
something a person does in addition to a principal occupation, especially for pleasure; hobby: Our doctor's avocation is painting.
More about avocation
Avocation derives from Latin 腻惫辞肠腻迟颈艒, which literally means 鈥渁 calling away鈥� but has the sense of 鈥渄istraction.鈥� 膧惫辞肠腻迟颈艒 is formed on the verb 腻惫辞肠腻谤别 鈥渢o call away; divert; distract; amuse,鈥� composed of the prefix 腻– 鈥渁way from鈥� and voc腻re 鈥渢o call,鈥� source of English vocation. A person鈥檚 hobby or leisure pursuit is called an avocation, etymologically speaking, because it 鈥渃alls away鈥� that person from their main work鈥攖heir vocation, or 鈥渃alling.鈥� Starting in the 1600s, however, avocation was used as a synonym for vocation, apparently on the thinking that a person鈥檚 side work can be or become as important as their regular occupation. Avocation entered English in the early 1500s.
how is avocation used?
So they signed up for a second shift, an avocation that earns them psychic income in the currencies of artistry, adventure and passion.
Her three avocations鈥攇ardening, current events, and photography鈥攚ere, like her writing, deeply informed by a desire to secure fragile moments as objects of art.